1.The illness called celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains Persons with this disease may appear undernourished, even when fed seemingly adequate diets. Microscopic studies of the digestive tract in affected persons show that villi are flattened and chronically inflamed and damaged. LAs ronic n Vertebrate Anatomy l: The Skin and Digestive System 608 5. of the digestive tract, discuss the impact of gluten on digestion and nutrition in persons with this disease.
a. Using your knowledge of the anatomy and function of different regions
b. Propose a "cure" for the disease.
2. Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder. Most commonly they consist of crystalized cholesterol, one of the major compo- nents of bile. They cause problems when they block the cystic duct.
a. What effect would you predict that gallstones would have on the digestive process?
b. Laparoscopic surgery to remove the gallbladder is a common treatment for severe symptoms of gallstones. This process involves inserting a light and surgical tools through several small incisions in the abdomi nal wall. Review the position of the gallbladder in the abdominal cavity, and imagine all structures, ducts, and membranes involved in the process of gallbladder removal
3.Traditionally, scientists have described the human appendix as a "relic of the past"-a shrunken portion of the cecum that functioned in human evolutionary history but no longer performs a role in the human body Recently, scientists have hypothesized that the appendix serves as a reserve for beneficial gut bacteria that are wiped out when prolonged courses of antibiotics are taken. Losing normal bacteria in the gut may open the door for deadly bacteria, for example, Clostridium difficile (C. diff), to grow quickly and overtake the gut, resulting in diarrhea and abdominal cram ing, The C. dif infection often recurs after the antiblotic treatment is terminated. p-
a. Design a correlation study to investigate this hypothesis using the medical histories of patients with gut infections.
b. Design an experiment as described in Lab Topic 1 Scientific Investigation (with controls, dependent variables, an independent variable, etc.), to investigate this hypothesis